Cambridge: The most expensive University outside London by 2004/2005
This was CUSU's second report, 29/9/99, showing that Cambridge University is set to become the most expensive university outside London.
Cambridge University has recently completed the most comprehensive and up-to-date survey of undergraduate rents and charges in Britain's best Universities.
Of the 47 Universities who replied, this survey shows that, by current trends and plans, Cambridge University will be the most expensive University outside London by 2004/2005.
The main findings are:
- Cambridge's rent rises last year were steeper than 91% of respondents.
- Cambridge's weekly fixed charges are already within the most expensive fifth of respondents.
- By 2004/2005 Cambridge's weekly fixed charges will be the most expensive outside London.
- The argument that Cambridge students are advantaged because others have to spend one or two years in private accommodation is disproved.
- The argument that Cambridge Colleges' cheapest rents provide a cheaper alternative to other universities is disproved.
Cambridge's rent rises this year were steeper than 91% of respondents.
CUSU notes with dismay the nation-wide trend of rising undergraduate rents.
This year's average increase on last year's rents was 3%. 4 universities experienced higher increases than Cambridge (5.7%). Warwick (7%) still has lower rents than Cambridge (even excluding KFC) and anticipates 0% increase next year. York (10%) is working on an agreed programme of increases until the average rent is £56/week. The remaining 2 were Aston (7.9%) and Roehampton Institute (9%).
Cambridge's weekly fixed charges are already within the most expensive fifth.
Cambridge is within the most expensive quarter of respondents including those in London, or the most expensive fifth outside London.
The 'weekly fixed charge' is a calculation based on average rents and any other fixed charges - including KFC (taken at £9.50/week). It refers only to university-managed accommodation.
The Kitchen Fixed Charge is paid by all undergraduates. College food is not cheaper than self-catering though poor cooking facilities often make this option difficult.
7 other universities charge additional fixed charges, These were: Abertay Dundee (£0.33/week insurance); Aston (£0.25/week); Leicester (£2.33/week JCR fees); LSE (£1.14/week insurance and JCR); QMW (£0.50/week compulsory social cost); Reading (£1.90/week for various things); St.Andrew's (£1.67/week).
By 2004/2005 Cambridge's mean weekly fixed charges will be the most expensive outside London.
If Colleges comply with what the bursars' report describes as, "the middle of the economic rent range" then in 2004/2005 our weekly fixed charges (£69/week) would be the most expensive outside London. The increase due to institutional rent rises in the financial burden on Cambridge students entering University in 2004/2005 would be £1800 over three years compared to those entering in 1999/2000.
If Colleges comply with the top-end of the range (£72/week) then Cambridge's weekly fixed charges would even exceed all but two of the London universities (LSE and QMW).
If Colleges comply with the bottom-end of the range (£66/week) we would be the 6th most expensive outside London.
The above all assumes a 0% increase in KFC.
Our estimate of increases in other universities was calculated as follows. If the reply included an estimate of future increases, we used that. If it did not, we assumed the annual increase over the next five years would be the same as this year's increase. If that information was unavailable, we assumed the annual increase would be the average in the most recent NUS Nationwide rents report (2.25%).
Only one other university has indicated an intended future programme of increases (York is working towards weekly fixed charges of £56).
The argument that Cambridge students are advantaged because others have to spend one or two years in private accommodation is disproved.
CUSU has considered the fact that many students at other universities pay for private accommodation for one or more years. We have looked at utilities costs and also at the lengths of contracts entered into by other students. This has enabled us to find a total fixed cost of studying over a three year period.
Of the 37 universities outside London who provided enough data to perform this analysis, by 2004/2005, Cambridge will be the 9th most expensive. That is, within the top 25%.
This figure is based on the cumulative cost of 3 years' accommodation in 2004-2005.
It is dependent on the length of time spent in average-cost university accommodation, and also the normal contract for average-cost private accommodation. Students at all but 5 universities spend one or two years in private accommodation. 55% of these usually get 9- or 10-month contracts. The remaining 45% get 12-month contracts, though almost half of those only pay half-rent over the summer period.
Utilities were estimated to amount to an extra £250/year in private accommodation.
The figures used for Cambridge were 30 weeks/year in College accommodation, and all 3 undergraduate years in College.
For example, the total fixed costs of living over three years in Cambridge is worked out as follows:
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| Total = 70 * 30 * 3 = £6300 |
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| Total = 40.32 * 39 * 1 + (42 * 47.5 + 250) * 2 = £6 063.48 |
[*] with half rent over summer (therefore total rent of 47.5 weeks per year)
Seven of the nine universities which appear more expensive than Cambridge in this analysis require the student to spend two years in private accommodation. Also, seven of those nine have 12-month contracts; the other two have 9, 10 or 11 months. In this respect, the analysis is unfair. It is common for many students at other institutions to spend their holidays working, and not having to pay extra rent. Many Cambridge students pay extra rent to work over holiday periods; others cannot afford this risk (while job-hunting) and try instead to find work near their parents' house. For many students, this latter option is unviable, either due to regional unemployment or to the undesirability/impossibility of living with parents.
It is also worth mentioning that many students in Cambridge need to spend more than 30 weeks here in order to complete studies out of term-time. This would add substantially to the figure used in this analysis.
The argument that Cambridge Colleges' cheapest rents provide a cheaper alternative to other universities is disproved by this analysis.
Assuming the mean cheapest rents between all the Cambridge Colleges in 1999-2000 is £33/week, with an additional £9.50 KFC, our cheapest rents are actually already more expensive than 70% of respondents.